Shuffle Pool Rules

Shuffle Pool Rules apply to the game of "Shuffle Pool" which is generally a billiard game played solely as a means to gamble. Shuffle Pool can be played by any number of players, and the order of play may be dictated by any method. The red balls are arranged in a hollow triangle. The colors shall be placed in the triangle as shown in the diagram below.

The object of Shuffle Pool is to first "qualify" to play for the colored balls. This is done by potting at least two red balls. According to Shuffle Pool rules, touching a colored ball with the cue ball before potting the requisite red balls is a foul. The penalty for this foul is the addition of one more red ball to the total of two that must be potted to qualify.

When a player qualifies, he or she selects from a blind draw box to determine which ball will be the object ball. The blind draw box shall contain tokens or slips of paper representing the balls numbered two through seven. (Yellow through Brown.) The shooting player is not required to inform the other players of which ball has been drawn. The game ends when a qualified player first pots their drawn object ball in one of the corner pockets. Any qualified player may pot any colored object ball in any of the corner pockets. Being the first player to qualify in Shuffle Pool, therefore, has many strategic advantages.

If a player who is late to qualify finds that their drawn ball is no longer on the table, they may call "dead" to the other players after potting one more red ball. However, that player is not required to declare "dead" and may attempt to clear other colored balls to prevent others from winning. Any qualified player may pot any red ball in any pocket. If a foul is committed after the offender has qualified, he or she must pot a red ball before they may return to shooting for colored balls.

A game of Shuffle Pool ends when either a qualified player pots their drawn ball, or when only one qualified player is at the table and all red balls are gone. All players who need to pot more red balls than are present on the table are required to withdraw from the game. It is not permitted to lay a snooker to any players who are attempting a red. If a snooker is laid in such a situation, the incoming player places the ball at a position on the table from which at least one colored ball is visible. For the purposes of the rules of Shuffle Pool, a snooker is defined as a position on the table from which no part of the ball-on is visible. If just one side of the ball is playable, the ball is not considered snookered.

Players may use one colored ball to pot another as long as the player is qualified. Players may not use a red to pot another colored ball, regardless of whether or not they are qualified. Colored balls are returned to play on the table only if it is potted by a player who is not qualified, or if it is potted by a qualified player who is on a foul and must pot a red first. If a ball is to be returned, it is placed against the center of the top cushion. Shuffle Pool Handicapping is normally done by increasing the number of reds which unqualified players must pot.

These are the base rules, and the Shuffle pool rules tend to change from pool room to pool room. As usual, be sure to clarify the rules before play, and keep them consistent.

Shuffle Pool Rules

The shuffle pool rules article was posted on 2/10/2008 7:29:00 PM and updated on 2/10/2008 7:29:00 PM. The shuffle pool rules article was edited by Billiards Forum Editor.

Shuffle Pool Rules

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Shuffle Pool Rules History

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Shuffle Pool Rules belong to the snooker category of cue sports. Snooker is a type of cue sport class of games that are played on a large snooker table.

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